Latest news with #horseRiding
CBC
23-05-2025
- CBC
Innovative horse simulator helps riders with disabilities saddle up
Social Sharing "Do you want to go faster?" Jayne Imeson already knew the answer she was going to get from her six-year-old son, Casey, sitting astride his new steed in a park in Central Saanich, B.C. He nodded with a smile. "Always faster — this kid loves his speed," Imeson said. Casey's usual ride is a Fjord horse named Valla, but on Thursday, he became the first official user of the MiraColt horse-riding motion simulator developed for the Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association (VTRA). The first-of-its-kind device combines a commercially available riding simulator with an app-based software application designed by CanAssist, an organization part of the University of Victoria, dedicated to helping people with disabilities. The system allows riders to control the speed of their simulated ride through a variety of virtual trails. The university says it's aimed particularly at people unable to ride a real horse. Casey has cerebellar ataxia affecting his muscle control, but he can ride Valla at the VTRA, which has 13 horses of different sizes and kinds. But Casey's toothy grin as he rode the MiraColt suggested it was a good substitute. Users who straddle and sway on the device the size of a large suitcase can pick the scene displayed on a screen — a local park, an urban street or the Arizona desert. "It replicates the movement of a horse at the gait of a walk," said Liza Gagel, executive director of the VTRA. "It can go from a very slow walk to a very, very fast walk, and the walk is actually the most beneficial gait for therapeutic purposes, for both physical and mental movement." Gagel said the simulator had the promise to help her organization meet growing demand, as they are limited by the number of hours, horses, and staff they have. "So we are trying to figure out how we are going to meet the needs of our community, and then CanAssist showed up at the right time," she said. Paul Green, associate director of operations and technology development with CanAssist, says the project is an "ideal example" of the collaborations they like to work on. "As much fun as it could be for me and the tech development team to hop into a room and start thinking of creating the next greatest assistive technology, that's not how we operate," Green said. "We work in response and ideate in response to requests from the community." That could be an individual with a disability, a clinician, an educator, or an organization like the VTRA, Green says. CanAssist determines whether there's an existing solution, whether that can be modified, or whether they need to design a new one from scratch. "This project was essentially a combination of that — some of it existed in terms of the MiraColt mechanical piece, but connecting that with a CanAssist-designed, more immersive experience for their clients and participants." About 230 participants take part in the riding association's program, Gagel said, with 50 more people waiting. She said the simulator would allow riders to warm up their muscles and improve core strength, or allow people with behavioural challenges to release some of their energy, before riding a real horse. The simulator can also easily move to other locations. "We can actually pick it up and take it to clinics or a physiotherapist's office or people's homes, if that is a need," Gagel said. Imeson says she's seen the benefits of therapeutic riding. Casey has been riding with the association for two years, and the improvements have "truly been incredible." She said the simulator "does an incredible job of replicating the horse movement," and she believes it would help her son make additional gains. "When he is in session here ... he's always improving his abilities and his balance and his motor skills and his reflexes," she said. "It's leaps and bounds." The simulator is the third project between the riding association and CanAssist during a 15-year collaboration with two local donors, Lynda and Murray Farmer, covering the full cost of the project, which is undisclosed. The other projects include a saddle support to help a rider with cerebral palsy sit upright, and a set of steps resembling a small staircase that helps riders get on a cart for one of the VTRA's programs.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Suffolk horse rider thrown into ditch by speeding car
A horse rider has urged drivers to be more considerate after her horse fell into a ditch when a car sped past Lock, from Rumburgh in Suffolk, was riding her Mylo two years ago along a narrow country lane when a speeding car spooked him. While she said they were lucky to be alive, both were left injured and the driver did not stop to check on Lock was working with animal welfare charity Blue Cross as it launched a new safety code around the issue. "I've never been in a ditch with a horse on top of me before," Ms Lock explained."It could have been a lot worse because the ditch was at least nice and soft, but I think it was the fall... it was probably a 4ft (1.2m) fall into the ditch with 600lb (272.15kg) of horse on top of me."Nobody stopped to see if I was alright or help me." Ms Lock said she had urged the driver to slow down before she was thrown into the ditch causing her to suffer a grade two hamstring pull while Mylo strained his said she was aware of other riders whose horses had died in similar incidents and felt the issue was not always about drivers coming too close to horses, but rather that they needed to lower their speed, be patient and "read the situation"."These lanes are very, very narrow and if you have two cars, one car would pull over to allow the other car to pass," she continued."But when you're on a horse they still think they can come past you without any problems." 'Be considerate' Ms Lock said while her incident had shaken her at the time, it had not stopped her from hacking on roads which she often used to access she said she would do all she could to now move Mylo off the road when a car felt the Blue Cross's new code was "very important" as roads were getting busier."We've been here for 30 years and I've not seen traffic like we do now," she added."So many people do ride on the roads and horse riding is a massive recreational sport, therefore everybody just needs to look after each other on the roads and be considerate." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Motorists urged to 'slow down' after horse death
A group of horse riders are taking on a big riding challenge to raise awareness of road safety around horses and a pony are being ridden for five days from Lambourn Gallops to Windsor, Berkshire, as part of the Royal Windsor Horse Show which starts on Equestrian Road Safety Awareness Ride has been organised by the British Horse Society (BHS) and Project Edward in memory of two-year-old racehorse Knockalla, which died after being frightened by a of safety for BHS, Alan Hiscox, will be one of the riders. He said: "I think it is a lack of understanding, of how horses will react to something on the near side, or a vehicle passing too fast or too close." In 2024, 58 horses were killed on the road and 97 injured, with 80 riders also injured, according to Hiscox explained the group wanted to highlight the 2022 changes in the Highway Code, specific to equestrians, which state: "If you see a horse on the road, slow down, pass slowly and give them a wide berth". Mr Hiscox will be one of the three riders, along with Des Payne, from BHS, and BBC Sport presenter Lizzy Greenwood."In Berkshire, the number of incidents recorded with BHS went up by 50%," Mr Hiscox said."It's absolutely shocking."You would think, that with the Highway Code changes, that when drivers see a horse on the road they would just slow down and give that space."But, unfortunately not and we want that consideration."IIt is still a challenge to ride horses on the roads."The horses are not there because they want to be, neither are the riders, it's because there's not enough safe off-road access."He added: "We're just asking for that respect and that consideration that when you see a horse on the road to slow down to about 10 mph and give them two meters distance." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
07-05-2025
- BBC News
Melksham horse rider's death inquest referred to CPS by coroner
Coroner refers horse rider death case to CPS Jayne Hunt died after falling off her horse, Moomin, in July 2023 An inquest into the death of a woman who fell off her horse after it became spooked has been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Jayne Hunt, 55, from Melksham, Wiltshire, was riding her horse Moomin down Bollards Hill near Seend on 9 July 2023. Police said she was apparently startled by a motorcycle near a blind bend. David Ridley, HM Senior Coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon, made the decision to refer the case to the CPS over inconsistencies in evidence. A two-day inquest at the coroner's court was due to begin on Wednesday.
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
A monstrous legacy: Horrifying revelations emerge after the evil foster father who killed Tiahleigh Palmer ended his life behind bars
So much of Tiahleigh Palmer's life was filled with pain. In spite of this, the 12-year-old who loved dancing, animals and horse riding was described as 'a delightful girl' and 'a child people immediately fell in love with'.
